How to determine increasing my house cleaning rates with out losing my customers?

I have been cleaning houses on the side for past two years. When I started my homes were small so my rates worked. My houses are getting bigger and my new customers are expecting a lot for very little. I was charging a flat hourly rate per frequency not sqft. 10 weekly. 15 bimonthly. 20 monthly and one time.... show more I have been cleaning houses on the side for past two years. When I started my homes were small so my rates worked. My houses are getting bigger and my new customers are expecting a lot for very little. I was charging a flat hourly rate per frequency not sqft. 10 weekly. 15 bimonthly. 20 monthly and one time. Average hrly rate for deep clean in my area is 13.50. I know its time to transition to charging per sq ft, but not sure how. ALSO WHAT SERVICES DO YOU ALWAYS CHARGE EXTRA FOR for house cleaning and keeping. Thanks.

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Best Answer: The rate increase and the method you use in charging for the services you provide would be based on your clients.

Are your clients primarily homeowners that reside in the house and you are doing the cleaning they would not want to perform?
Hourly rates might work for this type of client. They might be accustom to this method of payment.

Are your clients real estate investors and are looking at cleaning the house for additional work and there might be hauling of unwanted furniture and other unwanted items involved?

This type of client might not want to accept paying you an hourly rate. they would be interested in paying for the job. This client would want the job done and would be willing to pay for the job. This client is on a budget.

In charging an hourly rate, you might have clients that think you would stretch out the rs to get more money.

I personally prefer if a person in your profession charge by the job and would inspect the job prior to quoting a fee. Once you have viewed the job, you are able to get some idea as to the length of time it would take. You would also be able to see if there are areas n which you would be required to apply extra attention to. You would also have an idea of the tools you would need.

You might want to call your competition, acting as if you are a client and see what their rates are. You would not be required to charge the same rate. It might be that you would charge a little less to be competitive and attract additional clients.

You might consider a two tier method of payment. One would be for real estate investors and charge these client by the job and charge your other clients by the hour.

You might also want to keep in mind the economic conditions of your area. You do not want to increase the cost of your services and not have any clients.

My housekeeper charges a flat rate for the job and comes in once a week. I can't even imagine such a complicated pay scale as by the hour ( I never pay for most services by the hour but by the job ) and never by the square footage.

Surly you can go into a home and determine app. how much time it will take you and charge accordingly per job.

In my area that average charge is 125 per week.

Anonymous · 1 year ago

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You might lose some customers, but then you can replace them with those who are willing to pay your increased fee. do not feel too shy about telling your existing customers of the increased rate. They see it every day. Everything goes up and your services should be no exception.

Keep it an hourly rate as bigger homes will take longer so you get paid
More for larger homes if they require more work. If they only need a few
Things done in a peach room you could be done in an hour or two. The
More they demand done the more you get paid. You can charge for extra
People that move in the home you have been working in but the hourly
Rate would cover that as well. It will just take longer for each person you
Have to clean up after.

Charge by the room, number of rooms, how big the room is etc. Make yourself a written list and base it also on how many is in the family, how much work they expect to be done in Bath rooms, and kitchens for example, A small 1/2 bath with two people maybe 10 bucks or 5 bucks depending on the people... If it is a larger family and they are messier charge more... Be sure and make yourself a written list etc. so you do not forget what you are charging whom and if someone asks about it tell them... they demand more, their family is bigger etc...

Problem is, these are existing customers and if you essentially double your rate for whatever reason then these are your former customers. You might consider just bumping the rate up as much as 20% (you will lose some customers, hopefully not to many) and then trying the per sq ft charge for new customers. If you get enough customers paying the per sq ft rate then you can always switch ths old ones over (and probably lose them mostly but thats life). Be careful using this tactic with friends or neighbors. If they talk and it becomse apparent you are charging one twice as much as the other then its going to be a problem.